Shoe stretcher



Feb, 23, 1943. A. BoNGlovANNl SHOE s'rmaTcmizRl Filed July 17, 1941 ATTORNEYS Peteeteel Feb. 23, 1943 VUNITED STATES yPATENT OFFICE Anthony Bongiovanni, Mamaroneck, N. Y. Application July 17, 1941, serial Ne. 402,732

4 claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe stretchers and is particularly directed to a stretcher for the` fore part or toe of the shoe.

One of the objects of my invention is the provision of a stretcher so constructed that with the stretcher in place in a shoe the operating shaft thereof will extend out of the shoe at such an angle as to clear the top edge of the rear Wall of the shoe whereby the device may be usedy without marring or in any way injuring the shoe.

Anotherobjectl of my invention is the provision of a stretcher of the longitudinally split or hinged type employing a Wedge for separating the two halves or sections of the stretcher proper, the construction of the Wedge and the location rand arrangement of the guideway therefor being such as to permit of greater latitude and uniformity in stretching shoes and without injury. thereto.

More specifically my invention provides a stretcher of the type mentioned wherein the guideway for the separating wedge for the stretchersections is formed in the longitudinal axis of the sections and wherein the operating shaft for the wedge will extend out of the shoe being stretched at a point above the upper edge of the rear wall of the shoe.

Other objects of my invention will be manifest from the following description and the accompanying drawing, in which drawing:

Fig. l is a plan View of my improved stretcher;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional View of a modified form of stretcher made in accordance with my invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail and first to the form shown in Figs. l and 2: 2 and 4 designate the two halves or sections of the stretcher which are connected to each other by means of a boss 6. This boss, as will be seen from Fig. 1, is provided with vertically extending orifices 8 and I adapted to receive pins l2 and I4, respectively, which pass down through openings or orifices in each of the sections.

The central hub of the boss 6 is threaded internally for the reception of a screw shaft i6 provided at its outer end with a handle i8. The end of the shaft t6 which passes through the central hub 251 enters a wedge 22. This wedge, as will be seen from Fig. 2, comprises a body portion 24 having an integral offset or boss 26 superimposed thereon. This boss is slotted at 28 and the end of the shaft It terminates therein. This end of the shaft may be provided with a cot-terl pin 32 inserted into the shaft at the slot 28, or with any other suitable means which will prevent detachment of the shaft from the wedge.

Each of the stretcher sections 2 and 4v is provided with one-half of a guideway extending longitudinally of the axis of the stretcher for the reception of the wedge 24.

It will be appreciated that by connecting the shaft I6 to the boss 26 of the wedge 22, which is offset above the wedge proper, it is possible to have the guideway 32 extend along the Vlongtudinal axis `(designated '33) of the stretcher thereby providing fora longer path of travel iof the wedge whileretaining the wedge midway of `.the sections whereby the sections when 'being' separatedwill move laterally in the same plane.

This positioning ofthe wedge inthe longitudinal axis `of the stretcher is permitted because of the provision of the ,boss 26 which raised the rod `|64 .to a point Where despite the fact that the wedge is in the axis of the stretcher the rod will clear the upper edge of the rear of the shoe, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

dery certain circumstances it may be necessary to have the shaft I6 extend at a slight angle to the guideway, instead of being parallel thereto,

`tso as to insure the projection of the shaft out 'of the shoe above the rear wall thereof. To accomplish this it is merely necessary to provide some play between the shaft Iii and wedge 24 and between the boss 20 and the stretcher sections whereby the change in angularity of the shaft as the Wedge moves in its guideway will be permitted.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated a modification wherein the shaft extends at an angle to the guideway for the wedge and wherein the parts can operate without binding. The wedge is shown in full lines in its non-stretching position and is shown in dotted lines in its extreme stretching position.

In this form the operating shaft 44 is at an angle to the guideway 4U for the wedge 42. The shaft in this form is so mounted as to have a pivotal or vertical movement With respect to the wedge. The boss or journal 46 which is internally threaded to receive the shaft is free to rotate or rock, the side hubs or projections 48 being freely mounted in their respective journals or sockets in each of the stretcher sections. The vertical orifices in the journal 46 which receive the fastening pins 50 are slotted lengthwise of the sections as shown by dotted lines '52 and permit of rocking of the boss 46 and consequently of the shaft 44. The orifice 45 where the shaft enters the section is tapered likewise to permit of this rocking.

The end of the shaft 44 engages a socket or depression 58 in the wedge providing a fulcrurn for the vertical or pivotal movement of the shaft. A vertical slot 54 is formed in the end of the boss 56 to permit of this vertical movement of the shaft.

Removal of the shaft from the wedge is prevented by a Cotter pin 60 which pin engages the side wall of the slot 55 during rearward movement of the wedge upon rotation of the shaft.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 when the wedge is in non-stretching position it is at the extreme right hand end of the guideway 40 as Viewed in Fig. 3. When the shaft is rotated to move the wedge forward in its guideway, that is to the left as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, the sections of the stretcher are separated.

During the forward movement of' the wedge in its guideway the angle formed by the shaft and the guideway obviously will decrease. It Will be appreciated however that binding of the operating parts due to this decrease in angularity is prevented by reason of the fact that there is sufficient play between the wedge and the end of the operating shaft and by reason of the pivoting. or rocking of the journal 46 for the shaft.

In both the forms of my device herein illustrated it will be seen that the guideway or the lineof travel of the wedge is below the upper edge of the rear wall of the shoe and the operating shaft is sufficiently above this` line so that that portion of the shaft which extends out of the shoe is entirely free of the upper edge of the rear `wall of the shoe.- The outline of the shoe isy shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in dot and dash lines.

It is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the structure herein illustrated and described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I- claim is:

1. In a shoe stretcher the combination of a pair of pivotally attached stretcher sections, a movable wedge between said sections, an integral boss superimposed on said wedge, a guideway for said wedge one half of which is formed in each of said sections, said guideway extending along the longitudinal axis of the sections, an operating ,shaft pivotally connected to the boss on said wedge, an internally threaded journal for said shaft for advancing said shaft upon rotation thereof in said journal whereby to move said wedge in said guideway to separate said sections, the shaft by reason of its connection to the superimposed boss on said wedge extending out of the shoe being stretched above the upper edge of the rear wall thereof.

2. A device for stretching the toe portion of a shoe comprising in combination a pair of pivotally attached stretcher sections, a guideway formed in the inner walls of said sections,awedge mounted for movement in said guideway, an integral boss superimposed on said wedge, an operating screw shaft operatively connected to said Y boss, an internally threaded journal for said shaft, said shaft being in alignment with said boss parallel to said guideway and above the upper edge of the rear wall of the shoe being stretched.

3. A device for stretching the toe portion of a shoe comprising in combination a pair of stretcher sections, a guideway formed in the inner walls of said sections, a Wedge mounted for movement in said guideway, an integral boss superimposed on said wedge, an operating shaft operatively connected to said boss, an internally threaded journal for said shaft, said sections being pivotally attached to said journal, said shaft being in alignment with said boss and extending in a plane above the bottom of said guideway and parallel to said guideWay at a point above the upper edge of the rear wall of the shoe being stretched.

4. A device for stretching the toe portion of a shoe comprising in combination a pair of pivotally attached stretcher sections, a guideway formed in the inner Walls of said sections and in the longitudinal axis thereof, a Wedge mounted for movement in said-guideway, an integral boss superimposed on said Wedge, a threaded operating shaft pivotally connected to said boss, an internally threaded journal for said shaft pivotally mounted in said sections, said shaft at all times extending at an angle to said guideway whereby to project above .upper edge of the rear Wall of the shoe being stretched.

ANTHONY BONGIOVANNI. 

